What You Need to Know About Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator
Job Description & Duties Operate industrial trucks or tractors equipped to move materials around a warehouse, storage yard, factory, construction site, or similar location.
Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator Responsibilities
- Manually or mechanically load or unload materials from pallets, skids, platforms, cars, lifting devices, or other transport vehicles.
- Hook tow trucks to trailer hitches and fasten attachments, such as graders, plows, rollers, or winch cables to tractors, using hitchpins.
- Move levers or controls that operate lifting devices, such as forklifts, lift beams with swivel-hooks, hoists, or elevating platforms, to load, unload, transport, or stack material.
- Move controls to drive gasoline- or electric-powered trucks, cars, or tractors and transport materials between loading, processing, and storage areas.
- Weigh materials or products and record weight or other production data on tags or labels.
- Position lifting devices under, over, or around loaded pallets, skids, or boxes and secure material or products for transport to designated areas.
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Skills Needed to be an Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator
Below is a list of the skills most Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators say are important on the job.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Types of Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator Jobs
- Hi Low Truck Driver
- Reach-Lift Truck Driver
- Hydraulic Lift Driver
- Drier Transfer Car Operator
- Plowing Gardens
Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator Employment Estimates
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 549,900 jobs in the United States for Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 6.5% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 36,000 new jobs for Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator by 2026. The BLS estimates 65,900 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator are Utah, Arizona, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Delaware, or District of Columbia. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for an Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators make between $24,910 and $51,620 a year.

Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators who work in Alaska, District of Columbia, or Hawaii, make the highest salaries.
How much do Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $33,520 |
Alaska | $53,580 |
Arizona | $35,910 |
Arkansas | $33,150 |
California | $37,940 |
Colorado | $36,670 |
Connecticut | $40,980 |
Delaware | $39,630 |
District of Columbia | $50,240 |
Florida | $36,460 |
Georgia | $36,700 |
Hawaii | $50,540 |
Idaho | $35,450 |
Illinois | $36,240 |
Indiana | $35,420 |
Iowa | $37,950 |
Kansas | $36,440 |
Kentucky | $33,980 |
Louisiana | $35,560 |
Maine | $35,920 |
Maryland | $40,490 |
Massachusetts | $39,370 |
Michigan | $37,830 |
Minnesota | $41,500 |
Mississippi | $31,500 |
Missouri | $35,750 |
Montana | $37,500 |
Nebraska | $34,880 |
Nevada | $38,400 |
New Hampshire | $41,340 |
New Jersey | $36,490 |
New Mexico | $37,650 |
New York | $42,340 |
North Carolina | $33,720 |
North Dakota | $39,920 |
Ohio | $35,490 |
Oklahoma | $36,140 |
Oregon | $37,410 |
Pennsylvania | $37,730 |
Rhode Island | $38,390 |
South Carolina | $34,820 |
South Dakota | $35,010 |
Tennessee | $33,810 |
Texas | $33,580 |
Utah | $35,850 |
Vermont | $39,690 |
Virginia | $37,900 |
Washington | $43,430 |
West Virginia | $39,200 |
Wisconsin | $37,890 |
Wyoming | $40,520 |
What Tools do Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- SAP
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Inventory management software
- RedPrairie DLx Warehouse
Becoming an Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator
Learn what Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator education requirements there are.

What work experience do I need to become an Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator?

Where Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators Work

The table below shows the approximate number of Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators employed by various industries.

Similar Careers
Those thinking about becoming an Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator might also be interested in the following careers:
Are you already one of the many Industrial Truck or Tractor Operator in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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